AI-generated image
Nifro
Boiled wheat and chickpeas
ንፍሮ (nifro): boiled whole wheat, chickpeas and fava beans
When a baby cuts a first tooth, Ethiopian families celebrate with tirs mastecha, and the dish at the centre is nifro: a big pot of whole wheat berries, chickpeas and fava beans boiled with salt and handed round warm in cupped hands or small bowls. It also turns up at funerals, saints' day gatherings and long coffee ceremonies in Gondar and Addis, chewy, nutty and plain in the best way. The common mistake is boiling everything together from dry, so the wheat bursts while the fava stay hard; soak them all overnight and add the wheat later. Fava beans are unsafe for anyone with G6PD deficiency (favism), so leave them out if in doubt. Not gluten free. Chef's tip: once drained, toss the warm nifro in a dry pan for two minutes; it dries the surface and makes the salt and a pinch of berbere cling.
- Total time
- 795 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 7 oz whole wheat berries
- 5 ½ oz dried chickpeas
- 5 ½ oz dried fava (broad) beansskinned if possible
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp berbere (optional)
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (1)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Soak 7 oz whole wheat berries, 5 ½ oz dried chickpeas and 5 ½ oz dried fava (broad) beans in separate bowls of cold water overnight. Drain and rinse.
720 minStep 2: Put the chickpeas and fava in a large pot with 3 litres of water, bring to the boil and skim. Simmer for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 3: Add the wheat and 1 ½ tsp salt and simmer for 35–40 minutes more, until the wheat berries have split slightly and are chewy-tender and the chickpeas and fava crush easily between your fingers.
40 minStep 4: Drain well. Return to the dry pot over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes, shaking, until the surface looks dry.
3 minStep 5: Sprinkle with ½ tsp berbere if you like and serve warm in small bowls. It keeps for 3 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 10 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nifro take?
- About 795 minutes in total: 720 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of dried chickpeas?
- Cannellini or butter beans, same amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
SakarpadaSweet fried dough diamonds
Sakarpada (shakarpara) are little sweet diamonds of a rich dough made with ghee, milk and sugar, fried until golden and crunchy. They are a Diwali favourite with tea, and the cubes go into bhusu too. They keep for weeks in an air-tight tin.
Indian
Yaki onigiriGrilled rice balls
Yaki onigiri (焼きおにぎり) are rice balls grilled until they form a crisp, toasty crust, then brushed with soy sauce glaze. They are eaten all over Japan, at izakaya, at barbecues and from the freezer section, as a snack or with miso soup. The inside stays soft and steamy while the outside crackles. Best eaten hot, straight from the pan. Chef's tip: let the shaped rice balls dry for 10 minutes before they go in the pan. A drier surface forms a better crust and won't stick, and the glaze goes on only at the end so it doesn't burn.
Japanese
Taiwanese grilled corn
At Raohe and Shilin night markets the grilled-corn stalls are easy to find: look for the queue and the smoky, sweet smell. Cobs are par-cooked, then turned slowly over charcoal while the cook brushes them with a dark glaze of sacha sauce, thick soy paste, garlic and chilli, layer after layer, until the kernels are sticky, slightly charred and deeply savoury. It is eaten hot from a paper sleeve while walking the market. Sacha (shacha) sauce, a Taiwanese barbecue paste, usually contains dried fish and shrimp; vegetarian sacha is sold in Asian shops. Contains soy, wheat and fish. Chef's tip: brush thin coats and turn often; one thick coat burns before the corn chars.
Taiwanese